Railway screw-spike.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903- N0 MODEL.

m f x THE mums PETERS co. PHOTOLITHO. WASHINGTON. o. c.

Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. RENN, OF FEAGAVILLE, MARYLAND.

RAILWAY SCREW-SP! KE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,329, dated November 3, 1903.

I Application filed December 15,1902. Serial No. 135,308. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. RENN, a

citizen of the United States,residing at Feagaville, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Screw-Spikes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railway screwspikes; and it-consists of a suitably-shaped shank which is threaded practically its entire length and is formed with a gradual taper from its upper to its lower end, said shank being formed with a laterally-extending head, said head being provided with a notch or orifice on its upper face and with a notch or groove in each of its end faces, whereby the said spike can be readily screwed into a tie and be guided and steadied during such operation and be as readily removed when required.

The invention consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screw-spike constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction of said screw-spike.

The spike is preferably constructed of steel and is formed with a shank 1 of suitable length and having a gradual taper from its upper to its lower end and threaded practically its entire length, as at 2. The shank is also formed with a suitable head, as 3, which latter projects in opposite directions from said shank. The head 3 is provided with a notch or groove 4 on its upper surface and with a notch or groove 5 in each of its end edges. By this construction and arrangement a suitably-constructed device carrying a bit can be inserted into the notch e, and jaws can be inserted into and caused to bite in the end grooves 5, thereby guiding and steadying the spike as it isscrewed intoa tie, the bits seated in the top groove 4 acting to turn the spike and force it into the tie. In

removing the spike if the end grooves 5 are not provided it would be found very difficult, if not impossible, to get the spike out of the tie, especially where the tie has rotted, as the bit would only turn the spike around without raising it, whereas by the provision of the end grooves the jaws of a suitably-designed machine seated in said end grooves and the machine rotated and the jaws caused to raise will rotate the spike backward and readily remove it from the tie.

I do not describe or illustrate in this application the special machine which I have devised for inserting and removing this particular screw-spike, as the same will form the subject-matter of another application for a patent.

I have shown the head 3 of the spike with lateral projections of substantially the same length, and while I prefer this construction I do not wish to be limited to the same. The advantage of having the head project practically the same length from the shank on each side is that when the spike has been screwed almost all the way down or as far as it can be screwed, so as vto engage the flange of the rail, only a further half-turn is required to see cure the spike very firmly against the flange, whereas if oneof the headsis made shorter than the other it may happen that it would require an entire turn or revolution of the spike in order to bring the projecting or en gaging end of the head properly in contact with the flange and which it might be impossible to do on account of not being able to give the spike one complete revolution.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a perspective view of a slightly modified construction of my screw-spike. In this view' the spike is formed with a round head 6, having a top notch or groove 7 and an edge groove, as S. This construction of spike can be readily screwed into and removed from a tie, but I prefer the construction shown in Fig. 1. a

By the construction of screw-spike shown and described and the use of a special machine for operating the same such spikes can be readily and very rapidly screwed in place and will serve to hold the rail in place without any liability'of the spike being loosened by the movement of trains over the track,

to spread, as often happens with the use of edge, said grooves and notches being for the the ordinary railroadspikes. purpose of receiving an operating, steadying Having thus fully described my invention, and lifting tool. I 5 What I claim as new, and desire to secure by In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my LeXters Patent, is signature in presence of two witnesses.

s an improved article of manufacture, a

railway screw-spike, comprising in its con- CHARLES RENN' struction a threaded shank, and a head formed thereon, which latter is provided with a groove 0r notch in its upper surface, and a horizonsuch loosenin of the s ikes causin the rails tall arran ed groove or notch on its outer b p D b Witnesses:

EDWARD T. FENVVICK, JOHN L. FLETCHER. 

